


The Prince's Secret

by bluetoast



Series: The Jotun and the Widower [8]
Category: Thor - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Sif, Conspiracy, F/M, Odin's A+ Parenting, Regret, Thor Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:52:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8249761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: Odin gave his son a choice - be a good father or be a great king. But really, there hadn't been a choice for Thor. He had to be a great king, and it did not matter who was hurt in the process. Written for HC Bingo - Slaves





	

_This has got to stop._

How many times had that thought gone through Thor's mind in the past year? How could he have fallen so far so swiftly? A year and a half ago, everything had been wonderful; he and Loki were on wonderful terms, he and Sif were on decent terms and he didn't hate himself. The most wronged in all of what happened were his three children. They had nothing to do with the situation, and yet, the three of them had suffered the most. Loki, saint that he was, had borne his cruelty the way he had everything else in his tragic life. Fixing things with his former mistress would be impossible. He could attempt to salvage his relationship with Mirjam, and as for Röskva, she would be too young to remember, and her sister wasn't likely to hold her tongue where he was concerned. Good for her. 

Sif and Vakur, however, were another story entirely. Sif was one of his oldest friends and he'd disrespected her on a dozen levels. His son, however, much like his half sister, would never fully understand why he had chosen to be so callous and Thor was coming to terms with the fact he needed to be prepared for his children to hate him for the rest of his life. 

The only good thing that had happened in the past two days was he and Jane's mutual agreement to part ways. She had left in the name of her research and work; and he'd used distance and some other such nonsense. They parted as friends and Thor felt he no more deserved Doctor Foster's camaraderie than he deserved forgiveness from Sif and Loki. 

Thor had once desired many things – a good man, a great king, a loving father, a mighty warrior. But when he took the time to see what each one entailed, there were far too many contradictions in the requirements for one that would allow for another. He was unable to find a happy medium, a way to combine all four; and he was unwilling to ask for help. He could not be seen as weak. 

He currently felt absolutely no guilt for setting up behind the screen in the hidden compartment outside his father's study. The last he needed was to be blindsided by another one of his father's decrees. His mother had shown the small room to him ages ago; but he'd refused to spy on his father then. He couldn't believe that his mother had done so. But things were no longer the same; the realms were not as they were when he was a boy. 

When the door behind him slid open, he turned, surprised. It was not his mother standing there, but Sif. To her credit, she merely blinked before shuffling into the now somewhat cramped space and sat down across from him. Her familiarity with the room told Thor this wasn't her first visit. He leaned over towards the entrance and slid the door shut just as the door to his father's study opened. 

“Lord Amanyar to see you, your highness.” The guard spoke, his voice had a fraction of hesitation.

“Amanyar?” Sif whispered, frowning.

“Minster for mid-Yggdrasil realms. He is to leave for Midgard after Yule to attend a session of their United Nations.” Thor answered, frowning. “The people of that realm have accepted the whole life on other planets with mixed results.”

She lifted her chin, her eyes narrowing as they heard the Allfather clear his throat. 

“Yes, send him in.” Odin let out a sigh and then, Thor could make out Amanyar as he came into the room, bowing once, but not speaking before the door was shut behind the guard. 

“The Casket, your majesty? You handed the Casket of Ancient Winters back to the Jotun king without demands or conditions?” Amanyar was clearly outraged. “Once Asgard as a whole finds out about this, it will not be accepted.” 

“King Laufey's people have suffered long enough. Not to mention it has been a year since the casket was returned. We merely have two loose ends to tie up with Jotunheim and then all will be over and done with.” Odin let out a breath. “After the Yule, everything will be set to rights.” 

“What does Yule have to do with anything?” Amanyar stated the question that Thor and he was willing to bet Sif both wanted to. Why should Yule make any sort of impact on relations with the Jotun? “Don't tell me you're thinking of returning that runt whore of the crown prince's. Why in the stars would Laufey even care?”

“Because that runt whore, as you call him, is king's lost son.” Odin's voice was like lead.

Sif's hand was slammed against Thor's mouth before he could even open it. Her eyes were wide, alarm and disbelief was etched into her face. This was the most insane – no, no it couldn't be true. Loki? _Loki was a prince?_ How long had his father known about this? Why had he kept it a secret? He swallowed, trying to think what the _other_ lose end could be, then he realized _exactly_ who it was. Mirjam. The little girl who, unlike her little sister, bore her heritage clearly on her skin. 

“You do realize that if we return that... creature, he won't waste any time blabbing what happened to him.” Amanyar spat and Thor wanted to gut him where he stood.

“Not if he values the safety and protection for his youngest child.” He let out a worn breath. “I have seen the younger of the jotun's children. Being fair skinned like her father, her jotun heritage can be covered with ease.”

“Tell me you are not honestly considering passing the toddler off as the full blooded younger sister of the crown prince?” Amanyar's voice was indignant. “The prince is old enough to know better.” 

“I will do as I see fit for Asgard's safety, and keeping Loki in Asgard is definitely a threat to our realm.” Odin let out a breath. “I do not believe we will have much argument from neither my son nor his wife.” 

Thor saw Sif's eyebrows shoot up in the same disbelief he felt. The Allfather wanted to rip Loki from his home, his younger child and what life he had for the sake of Asgard? This wasn't his former paramour's fault, it was his father's. How long had he known the truth about Loki? 

“The jotun cannot hope to battle against Asgard and win.” His father was speaking again. “It is merely a matter of returning his stolen son and ask to let the matter rest.” 

“This plan is folly.” Sif whispered next to Thor. “Not to mention unspeakably cruel.” she glanced at the door. “We need to discuss this. Elsewhere.” 

He nodded in agreement and quietly slid the panel over the screen, cutting off their view of the other room and then carefully opened the outer door, scanning the hallway before stepping out and then waiting for Sif to join him. Getting back to their chambers seemed to take twice as long as normal; all Thor wanted to do was run, and throwing something also sounded like a good idea. Next to him, Sif was stony faced, her eyes focused straight ahead of her. She looked ready to level an entire army with nothing but a butter knife and her determination. 

How he managed not to slam the door of their rooms was a miracle. After he shut them, he fell back against them in shock as Sif pulled off her gloves and threw them down on a table. “I'm guessing from the look on your face, you didn't know the truth about Loki's parentage either. You're not that good of an actor.” She stated, her voice like ice.

“No.” He stepped away from the doors, falling to a sit in his chair. “What bothers me is how long the Allfather has.”

She sat in her own chair, not looking at him. “The worst thing we can do is do nothing. But we have to do _something_.” She shook her head. “Unless, of course, you want to ignore this just like you ignore so many other things.”

Thor winced; he knew he deserved that. Now was a good a time as any. Norns knew, he might actually feel better after he did. “Sif?” He waited for her to look over at him. “There's something I need to tell you.”


End file.
